Neighbors: ‘Somebody Mow the %#$!#& Grass Already’
“The king is dead. Long live the king.”
Usually after a home sale closes, the new owner gets the keys, the moving truck shows up a few days (or hours) later, and life in the neighborhood quickly resumes, albeit a little differently than before.
And then there’s what happened after a Twin Cities home I sold this Spring closed.
In a word: nothing.
No one showed up to replace gutter extensions that came off, fix a window that had broken, or — later this Spring — mow the increasingly tall grass.
How did I know all this?
Because the (too conscientious) former owner — and not a few neighbors — were aware of the neglect, and called me to contact the new owner and their agent (which I did).
Note: sometimes having a recognizable real estate “brand” (and widely known cell phone number) has a downside.
AWOL New Owner
If that were the extent of it, it would be a (temporary) headache, but no more.
Unfortunately, the new owner — a builder planning a major renovation — also neglected to record the new deed or pay the property taxes.
As a result, my client — a sweet, elderly couple — started receiving letters in the mail informing them that they owed various fines, delinquent taxes, etc. on “their” home.
Which is when a more forceful and organized response was clearly indicated.
Kafka Meets “Who’s On First?”
Step #1 was to go to city hall and document that the home had sold back in April, and provide the address of the new owner.
Check, and check.
Unfortunately, Step #2 — essentially repeating those two steps at Hennepin County — was more problematic.
When I asked the clerk in the “Property Taxes” Division to update the County’s tax records and contact information for the home, she explained that she couldn’t do that because the new owner hadn’t recorded the deed, paid the accompanying $1,200 deed transfer tax, or the 1st half county property taxes (due May 15).
My reply: ‘yes, I know that. That’s why I’m here.’
After that cycle got repeated a few more times, I switched tacks: I asked to speak to the supervisor (out), manager (in a meeting), and department head (in the same meeting).
Time: 8:45 a.m. on a Wednesday morning (unfortunately, sometimes the stereotypes are true).
Exasperated, I finally left a detailed note along with paperwork documenting the closed sale and my business card.
Next Steps
What happens from here?
Eventually, the developer will have to update the deed, pay back taxes, etc. if it ever wants to sell the property (and recoup its investment, and presumably, a profit).
In the meantime, I’ve instructed my client/former owner to put everything they receive from the city and county in a folder, and give to me when it gets full.
Should this continue say, past mid-Summer, I have another plan: if the county still deems my client to be the rightful owner (and still liable for property taxes plus penalties), it should act like the owner and sell the home (again).
In that vein . . . anyone interested in a terrific home that can be bought cheap, as long as it’s cash and can close in a week??
P.S.: Update — the lawn just got mowed today. Yeah!!
Also, my contact at city hall checked and verified that the builder is awaiting approval on several building permits.
Once those come through, the (overextended?) builder is likely to start work — and clean up the foregoing problems, literally as well as figuratively.
